


Operation Birthday

by ddagent



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Birthday, Birthday Presents, F/M, Family, Kid Skye | Daisy Johnson, Married Couple, Undercover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-19
Updated: 2015-05-19
Packaged: 2018-03-31 08:25:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3970894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ddagent/pseuds/ddagent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the Princess Daisy doll is sold out everywhere, Phil and Melinda take drastic measures to get their little girl the present she wants for her birthday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Operation Birthday

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Agents of SHIELD or any of its characters, or settings - all belongs to Marvel and ABC.
> 
> HAPPY BIRTHDAY melindasqiaolian! I’m so glad we’ve become friends, as you are super awesome and I love talking with you. I hope you have an amazing birthday, and I hope you enjoy this fic!
> 
> Operation Birthday marks my first full length story since the completion of Partners, and my first fanfiction of the Hiatus! So I’m both excited and nervous. Happy reading!

In the Coulson-May household, weekends carried certain terms and conditions. Cell phones were turned off inside the house; only one was allowed when they went out. No work visitors were permitted. Chocolate chip pancakes on Saturday mornings; oatmeal with _more_ chocolate chips on Sundays. Skye picked their weekend outing. On that particular weekend, Skye chose the beach.

 

They packed up the car and drove for an hour until they could see the ocean. The last time Melinda had been on a beach was on an undercover sting unravelling a dangerous drug shipment. Now she was with her husband and their four year old daughter, casually strolling across the sand. Well, _two_ of them were casually strolling across the sand. One was heading for the ocean.

 

“Skye, don’t ruin your new shoes!”

 

“I won’t!”

 

The tiny brunette stripped her feet of her new sandals and rushed into the water, shrieking when the cold waves splashed against her toes. Phil chuckled at their daughter before sliding his arm closer around her waist. Melinda loved these small moments she could spend with him, feeling the weight of his body resting against hers. It seemed so much of their time was spent working or spending time with Skye. They rarely seemed to have a moment just the two of them.

 

“Daddy, daddy, come look my toes are gone!”

 

Another low chuckle from her partner, a quick kiss to her cheek and suddenly he was gone. As Phil crossed over the beach to their daughter, Melinda reached for her camera. Since starting a family, she’d rediscovered her love of photography. She had reams of negatives: Skye’s bright smile and Phil’s gorgeous eyes spilling out from every frame. Melinda grinned as she snapped her husband lifting their daughter out of the water, sand and water kicking everywhere.

 

With a squealing four year old under his arm, Phil returned to her side. “Okay, what shall we do now?”

 

“Ice cream, ice cream!”

 

“Not if you don’t pick up your shoes, young lady!” Phil slowly dropped their little brunette to the sand before she went racing off in search of her shoes. Suddenly Melinda felt herself enveloped by a pair of strong arms, a pair of lips brushing against hers. “I don’t know about ice cream, but I’ve found something sweet.”

 

“Could you be any cheesier?”

 

Phil smirked. “Me, cheesy? I don’t know what you mean.”

 

A little brunette blur suddenly joined them, a hand gritty with sand slotting into Melinda’s. The three of them continued their walk along the beach, Skye chanting ice cream under her breath all the way.

 

\--

 

When people outside of SHIELD asked them how they met; Melinda always gave them the same story. Met in college; best friends for four years before they went into the big wide world. Fell in love somewhere along the line and was blessed with the most adventurous little rugrat the world had ever seen. The truth wasn’t that different. They’d met at the Academy, were best friends for a _lot_ of years. They’d toyed with the boundaries until one night in London, at her SO’s retirement party, they made the choice for _this. This life_.

 

Melinda had never regretted it.

 

Sitting on a white plastic chair, licking the back of a spoon, Melinda couldn’t stop watching her daughter. Sometimes, _especially_ when she was eating, she looked just like her father. It was that glint in her eye, the slight half smile that was just a prelude to a bigger grin. Melinda looked over to her husband, watched him share the same smile as he tried to steal a spoonful of Skye’s chocolate caramel. Suddenly he turned to her. His eyes softened, he _smiled._

 

“What are you thinking about?”

 

Melinda ducked her eyes. “Nothing. Just-“ _Buzz._ “Just-“ _Buzz._ “I better check that. It might be important.”

 

“Of course.”

 

Melinda reached into her pocket for her cell phone. She flicked through the messages, frowning as she realised it was an update on the timetable for her op. When things moved quickly, Melinda always felt like something was going to go wrong. She’d handle it, she always did. But without her partner to help orchestrate things, she was never as sure as she used to be.

 

“Everything okay?” Phil asked as she slid the phone back into her pocket.

 

Melinda nodded. “Everything’s fine.” There was only so much she could discuss with Phil. SHIELD rules.It made it easier to act normal, but Melinda missed discussing operational parameters and extraction plans with her partner. Wetting her lips, Melinda looked across the table to their daughter. “Enjoying your ice cream, Skye?”

 

“It’s great!” Skye made a long pass with her tongue over her lips, smearing the chocolate over more of her face. “Can we get ice cream for my birthday?”

 

“Of course we can. Still want a party?”

 

Skye nodded. “Yeah. And I want a Princess Daisy doll.”

 

Melinda swallowed another mouthful of ice cream, eyes glancing towards Phil. “What’s a Princess Daisy doll, Skye?”

 

“She’s the prettiest doll _ever._ No one in my class has one. But we all want one. She’s pretty, with long hair like mine…” Skye tugged on the ends of her hair, getting them covered in chocolate. “She comes with a pretty dress and on TV she twirls. Can I have one for my birthday please?”

 

Phil held her gaze, both of them talking without saying a word. A Princess Daisy doll. Not a problem. It was Phil who reached over, stroking their daughter’s hair with a grin. “Absolutely, kiddo. A Princess Daisy doll it is.”

 

\--

 

They’d had better luck smuggling information out of North Korea.

 

Melinda had severely underestimated the appeal of the Princess Daisy doll. She’d thought it would be as easy as going to the local toy store, maybe even checking online. But the seven toy shops she’d tried all had the same sign in front of the empty space where the Princess Daisy doll had stood: _sold out._ Melinda had tried online, she’d even tried calling out of state. Still no luck. After talking to another mother at nursery, it seemed all of their children wanted Princess Daisy. But no one had been able to get her.

 

Hanging up the phone after another failed lead, Melinda threaded her way through the corridors of Operations HQ in the direction of Agent Coulson’s office. People ducked out of her way, none of them wanting to face Agent May on a bad day. She made it to Phil’s office without any interruptions, rapping her knuckles on the wood before pushing against the handle.

 

Phil was standing by his desk, putting papers in his filing cabinet. “Can I-Melinda?” Her husband instantly brightened, leaving the filing cabinet open to join her by the door. He kissed the corner of her mouth in greeting. “Hi. What did I do to earn this surprise?”

 

“We have an emergency.”

 

His face fell instantly. “ _Skye_?”

 

“Her birthday.”

 

“Oh.” Phil breathed a sigh of relief. He returned to his desk, closing the filing cabinet before sitting in his chair. Melinda perched on the corner of his desk, arms crossed over her chest. “Still no luck with the doll?”

 

Melinda shook her head, mouth fixed in a thin line. “None. I’ve tried everything. I even called my mother.”

 

Phil’s brow furrowed. “I thought she was out of the country? Some big Agency operation?”

 

Lian May had been in deep cover for two weeks; giving her daughter nothing more than the number for the Agency if there was an emergency. The CIA Operator had disagreed about the Princess Daisy doll being counted as an emergency. But Melinda was a _May._ “I have my ways.”

 

Her husband wetted his lips with the tip of his tongue, eyes glinting in her direction. “Melinda, you can’t _say_ stuff like that. You know we’ve already been brought up six times for having sex in this office.”

 

She snorted, Phil grinned. But as they stared at each other, their smiles began to fade. This was Skye’s fifth birthday, possibly the earliest birthday she would ever remember and her first birthday party with little friends. They’d both wanted to make this day special for their little girl. Melinda hated the knot in her stomach forming at the thought of Skye being disappointed, at being upset on her birthday. 

 

“Hey, _hey,_ Melinda, we _tried_.” Phil’s hands reached for hers, Melinda uncrossing her arms so he could take them. The knot started to unravel at the feel of his touch. “We did everything we could. You even put through an illegal call to the CIA for this. There’s not much more we could have done.”

 

“I know.” She sighed. “I just wanted things to be special for her.”

 

Phil nodded, lifting her hands to press a gentle kiss to both. “I know. And I love that you want that. But, sometimes, kids don’t get what they want. When I was five, all I wanted was a Captain America fully pose-able action figure. My Dad drove three states away to try and get it, but he couldn’t. I was sad, I really wanted that doll. But now I just think about my Dad and-“ Phil swallowed. The memory of a father he still couldn’t quite recall holding his words in place. “She’ll understand.”

 

“I know.” Melinda wondered how any parent would get a Princess Daisy doll for their child. They’d have to be some sort of master thief to get their hands on one. _Or a spy._ “Phil, what if we could get our hands on the doll? Not from the store, but from the manufacturer? Like we did in Dallas.” 

 

Phil’s eyes narrowed as he tried to recall what had happened in Dallas. They widened as he suddenly recalled the operation. They had been in and out in under an hour, and no one had been the wiser. Grinning, Phil took Melinda’s hands and tugged her into his lap. “Dallas, huh?”

 

Melinda nodded, sliding her free hand up her husband’s chest. “We’ve got the badges, we’ve got the suits. You could wear those silver cufflinks, maybe even those glasses.”

 

Phil swallowed. On the last operation he’d worn those glasses; they’d ended up conceiving Skye. Melinda gasped as she felt Phil’s hand slide up her thigh. “Pencil skirt. Heels. Maybe a little ladder in your tights just behind the knee.”

 

“Go in, ask to see the manager. You provide the distraction, I get the doll.” Melinda couldn’t help but smile as the adrenaline of planning an operation with her husband raced through her. It had been three years since they’d been on an operation together, and even then they had barely been in the same room. She missed him. She missed this connection. “I love you, Phil.”

 

His hand slid across her jaw to cup her cheek. “I love you too.”

 

\--

 

They met in the parking lot of Zabo Toys on their lunch break. They’d dressed and arrived separately, for which Melinda was very grateful for. Seeing her husband dressed in a V-neck sweater and those wire framed glasses that made him look even sexier would have led to a quickie on the backseat of Lola rather than their undercover mission. And their last disciplinary for sexual misconduct on SHIELD property wasn’t even four months old yet.

 

“Hey you,” Phil said, handing her a badge rather than giving her his customary kiss. It was easier to start in character. She couldn’t even remember the last time they’d done this. Rio, maybe? _Paris._ Just before the engagement. “Think we still remember how to do this?”

 

“Of course.” Melinda brushed her hand against Phil’s. “We do it all the time. This is just lying to gain entrance to a building rather than lying to the neighbours.”

 

Phil beamed; resting his hand on the small of her back as they crossed to the entrance. The security guard gave her legs a _long_ look, but thankfully her husband didn’t even bristle. He was always good at playing by the rules, keeping his cover. It was only Melinda who could tell when something bothered him.

 

They approached the reception desk, Phil stepping forward to introduce them. “Hi there. I’m Paul Haller; this is my colleague Jessica Crowe. We’re here for a surprise health inspection.”

 

The young blond on the reception stammered, fingers stumbling over the phone keypad to call his supervisor. “Aren’t you guys supposed to give notice or something?”

 

Melinda rolled her eyes. “That’s why it’s called a _surprise_ health inspection.”

 

She saw the corner of Phil’s mouth twitch, before he instantly composed himself. The blond finally managed to get through to the plant manager. Whilst they spoke, Melinda busied herself memorising the floor plan by the fire escape in the corner. She watched Phil check out the security guards, another smirk at the lack of fire power they were carrying. It _was_ a toy company. Melinda was surprised they even carried pepper spray.

 

“Okay,” the blond said; voice shaky. “Take the elevator up to the fourth floor, the manager’s office is at the end of the corridor.”

 

Phil gave another smile, even winking at the kid behind the desk. “Thank you very much. Jessica, ladies first?”

 

Melinda walked to the elevator first, which she knew from experience was half chivalry and half Phil staring at her ass. She pressed the button, waiting until Phil was by her elbow before stepping on. None of the staff - not the guards, not the receptionist - had even bothered checking their credentials.

 

“I don’t remember it being this easy.”

 

“It’s a toy company, Phil, not a top secret military compound.”

 

He nodded. This wasn’t their most glamourous operation. Still, it was nice to be out in the field together again. As _partners._ They exchanged smiles, Phil grinning before reaching down to scratch at the belly of his jumper. “Does your sweater itch?”

 

“A little bit.”

 

“What sort of fabric softener did you buy this week?”

 

Melinda tried to recall her trip to the grocery store. She remembered getting out of the car; she remembered Skye tugging her towards the toy aisle…she remembered the ice cream afterwards. “I think it was the bottle with the flowers on them?”

 

“You’ve got to get the kind with the little boy and the balloon.” Phil sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. His fingers dug into his side, scratching through the weave of the jumper. “I’m gonna get a rash.”

 

She snorted, rolling her eyes. “It’ll be fine. It’s just in your head. You didn’t even get a rash when I put itching powder in your clothes at the Academy.”

 

Before Phil could respond, the elevator doors clanged open. They stepped outside, immediately locating the manager’s office at the end of the hall. They could hear the sound of filing cabinets opening and papers being spilled. They approached slowly, getting their plan in motion before they reached the door.

 

“You still okay to distract him? I think the office was down that way. Should only be seven minutes. Nine _,_ tops.”  

 

Phil nodded, still scratching his side. Melinda smacked his hand. “You know, all this hacking stuff feels more like fieldwork than specialist work.”

 

“Phil, I love you, but you can barely work the VCR.”

 

He opened his mouth, his original retort dying on his lips. “I _can_ work the VCR. It’s the new thing I have trouble with.”

 

Just before they made it to the manager’s office, Phil reached out for her hand. It wasn’t part of their cover, but Melinda admitted she liked the contact. The adrenalin rush of being on an undercover operation, the feel of her partner’s hand holding hers…she’d missed all of this.

 

“Be careful.”

 

“I always am.”

 

They walked into the manager’s office, Phil launching into his spiel for two and a half minutes before Melinda left with directions to the ladies room. It took her seven minutes to find a desktop computer, hack into their distribution system using instructions she’d got from Communications, and transfer the money to Zabo’s account. Taking the doll was much easier. On their way out of the building, Phil distracted the delivery driver by talking about the Clippers and Melinda shoved the doll under her jumper. Not particularly sophisticated but they got the job done.

 

They arrived back at Operations HQ within three minutes of each other, no one the wiser. As Melinda watched her husband jump onto the nearest elevator, she realised she wanted to be jumping on with him. She wanted to be his partner again.  

 

\--

 

Melinda was glad both of them were home for preparing Skye’s birthday this year. There was so much to prepare _for_ : the streamers needed to be hung, the balloons needed to be blown up, the finger sandwiches and fairy cakes needed to be made. Wrapping the presents, including the highly prized Princess Daisy doll, was finished at two am the morning of Skye’s birthday. Melinda woke up on their sofa in the den, bright sunlight streaming in through the patio windows and Sellotape stuck to her fingers. She turned to her husband, gently shaking Phil awake.

 

“Wake up, Phil. It’s morning.”

 

Phil stirred, groaning as he realised where they’d fallen asleep. “That’s debateable.” He reached over for the antique clock by the bookshelves. “Shit, it’s nearly six am. Skye will be up soon. Think she’ll have a good birthday?”

 

“I think it’ll be the best.”

 

Melinda leant in for a kiss, her lips brushing Phil’s mouth with a tender touch. Her hand slid up his chest, resting on the nape of his neck as she brought him up for another, much longer embrace. She could hear the groan building at the back of Phil’s throat, could feel his lips moisten with every kiss. Hands slipped up the back of her shirt, caressing the length of her spine. She felt deft hands reach for her bra strap. Sighing, Melinda pulled herself away.

 

Phil stroked the side of her face, sighing himself. “Maybe when the birthday girl’s asleep, we can have a little time to ourselves?”

 

“Absolutely. Don’t forget your glasses.”

 

With a quick kiss, they both pulled away. Phil walked through into the adjoining kitchen, already searching for the ingredients to make birthday pancakes.  Melinda watched him, pouring them both a glass of orange juice. “You’re making the cake this year, right?”

 

“Oh, _absolutely._ ” Phil broke a couple of eggs and reached for the milk Melinda passed him. “Cooking and baking is not your forte, Melinda. But it’s okay. I’m an amazing chef, you’re…well we got the black marks off the ceiling eventually.”

 

Melinda tossed an egg shell at him. “You’re right. It _is_ okay. _I_ happen to be an amazing photographer. You can’t work any technology made after ninety six.”

 

Phil reached for her, abandoning the pancakes to bring his wife into his arms. “See? We fit together.” She felt one hand rest on the small of her back, thumb stroking her skin through her shirt. The other linked their hands, resting them over his heart. “You’re a specialist, I’m a field agent. We were made for each other.”

 

“Yes we were.” Melinda moved closer into Phil’s embrace. “Can I ask you something? Do you ever miss it? Working with me?”

 

“All the time.” Suddenly a weight in Melinda’s heart lifted. She’d enjoyed working with Phil too much to ignore, and the fact that he felt the same way just proved how in sync they were. “I have my wife, who I love. My best friend, who I adore. But I miss my partner. I want her back. Fury’s coming to the party…maybe we’re ready to be in the field together again.”

 

“I think we are.”

 

Phil leant down for another kiss, a kiss that threatened to spill the flour from the counter and knock the eggs to the floor. But just before they resumed their previous position from the couch, the sound of a door opening and tiny footsteps came from upstairs. They parted quickly, Melinda acting as the distraction whilst Phil hid underneath the stairs. As soon as Skye put her first foot on the floor, Phil scooped her up in his arms.

 

“Happy birthday Skye!” Phil said, bouncing his squealing daughter in his arms.

 

“Daddy!” He gave her a big kiss right on the cheek, before carrying her over so Melinda could get her own birthday cuddle. Two small hands tightened around her neck, a little nose that was a mirror of her own brushing her cheek. “Hi Mommy.”

 

“Happy birthday, Skye.” Melinda kissed her cheek, adjusting her grip around Skye to hold her even closer. She really hoped their little girl had the best birthday. She deserved only the most amazing things. “What do you want first: pancakes or presents?”

 

Skye thought for a moment. “Presents!”

 

The three of them headed to the den where a mountain of wrapped presents in pink and white paper sat. Skye stayed in her mother’s lap, gasping and giggling as Phil found the rest of the presents they’d hidden around the den. Suddenly the pile was nearly as big as Skye. Maybe they spoiled her. But both her and Phil knew that time was precious. It was a gift, one that should be enjoyed with every moment.

 

“Which one do you want to open first?” Melinda said, whispering in her daughter’s ear.

 

“The big one!”

 

Phil overly rolled his eyes, beaming at their baby girl. “Of course the big one! Okay, the big one is from Mommy and Daddy!”

 

Skye stayed close to her mother as she reached for the present, small fingers tearing into the white paper. When the box of Princess Daisy came into view; Skye grew very quiet, and very still. Phil glanced over at Melinda, brows knitted. This _was_ the one she wanted. With the pretty dress and the pretty hair. Not a patch on their Skye, but not bad for a doll.

 

“Sweetheart, are you okay?” Melinda asked, stroking their daughter’s hair. “Is it not what you wanted?”

 

Suddenly Melinda was pushed backwards against the sofa, two arms tight around her neck almost cutting off her wind pipe. A voice, raspy and small and full of tears, whispered in my ear. “ _All my friends said I’d never get it. But you found Princess Daisy_.”

 

Skye pulled back, and Melinda wiped away her daughter’s tears of joy. “Of course we did. It’s what you wanted for your birthday, sweetheart.”

 

“Magical things happen on birthdays, Skye.”

 

At her father’s words, Skye burst into the biggest smile they’d ever seen on their little girl. She raced over, slamming her father back against the floor as she tackled him with the doll between them. _It had been worth it._ All the calls, all the checking, all the breaking and entering and hacking. It had been worth it for the joy on Skye’s face. It was always worth it for her. Even if Fury disagreed with their proposal to work together again, Melinda wouldn’t question the decision she had made all those years ago. She had the man she loved, and they had the most beautiful daughter in the world.

 

Getting her camera out, Melinda took shot after shot of Skye playing with Princess Daisy. She couldn’t wait to take pictures of Phil on his birthday when he tore into his present from her. A Captain America Pose-able Action Figure. Like their daughter, his joy would be worth all the time it took to track it down.

 

She loved her family. She loved her life. Melinda was determined to capture and savour every moment.


End file.
